Appliance for producing and burning alcohol gas



c. E. A AMsoN APPLIANCE PRODUCING AND BURNING. ALCOHOL GAS Fi led July 20. 1921 Witness: I1 Oberat Patented Aug. 28, 1923.

entree vars orrice. A

CHARLES E. ADAMSON, on HUNTINGTON,- INDIANA.

APPLIANCE FOR PRODUCING AND BURNING ALCOHOL GAS.

Application filed July 20,

new and useful Improvements in Applianr es for Producing and Burning Alcohol Gas, of which the following is a specification. My invention relates to a method and appliances for producing and burning alcohol gas. V v One of the objects of my invention is to convert industrial alcohol into gas and so arrange the parts that the conversiontakes place between the supply of alcohol and the consumption of the gas so that conversion takes place while feeding alcohol toward the burner.

Another object of my invention is to employ a method in which the alcohol is subjected to heat while'passing through whatl term an erratic or tortuous travelline and m progressively expanding the gas on its course along said travel line.

Heretofore, in appliances for converting liquid fuel into gas and providing the-appliance with means for burnlng the gas, the fuel was permitted to flow from the source of supply in a continuous unbroken stream and a continuous coil employed from end to end of the passage to which the fuel was fed, with the result that the heat was conducted along the entire length of the coil and the alcohol consequently forced back into the source of supply, due to the fact that less resistance was offered at the feeding end of the coil than at the discharge end. Consequently, the appliance, usually including a burner, was rendered more or less ineffective.

Another object of my invention is to provide a device for converting alcohol into gas in which the liquid alcohol is fed into a conduit or tube having means therein heated in a progressive manner. I V

A further object of my invention is to provide a device for converting liquid alcohol into gas on its wayfrom a source of supply to a burner, and in which the conduit orpassage to which the alcohol is fed is pro- .Vided with separated coils which become heated progressively to a higher degree to- V ward the dischargeend-thereof.

' .A stillfurther object of my invention is to provide a device of this kind with separated coils so that each will absorb andprac= tubes and a part of the 1921 Serial no. 486,298.,

tically retain its own heat, thus permitting the coils to become heated to a greater degree progressively toward the discharge of the tube, due to the gradual conversion of liquid alcohol into gas along its course through and around the coils.

A still further objectv of my invention is the provision of a device of this kind, in-

cluding a tube having separated coilsabutting endv to .end with alternate c'oils filled,

WVith the above objects in view, my invention relates tothe novel method of converts ing liquid alcohol into gas, and to the novel features of construction and the arrange ment and combination of parts to .be hereinafter described, and more; particularly pointed out in the subjoined claims.

hlle my invention is adapted for use for yarious purposes, I have illustrated the same 1n connection with aportable stove or heating chamber, but it is apparent that the same is especially adapted for use in a sad iron,

due to the comparatively small size of the device, which permits its insertion within the body portion, of an iron.

In the drawings Fig. 1 is a central vertical section through a heating chamber or, what maybe. termed a portable stove, equipped with my improved invention, 7 i

Fig. 2 is an enlarged horizontal section taken on line 22, Fig, 1, parts of the burner being shown in elevation. F ig. 3 is anenlarged vertical section through the complete device taken on a plane indicated by line 3 '3,Fig. 2.

F ig. 4 is a cross section taken: on-line 4-4,

Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is an enlarged longitudinalsection talgen through a portion of the :converter tu e.

Figs. 6 and 7 are cross sections through the converter tube taken on lines -66, and 7 7,respectively,' of Fig. 3

The reference numeral 10 designates a portable oven or heating chamber having an opening in its top closed by a lid 11.. r This heating chamber may be supplied with air in anysuitable manner. I V 12 designates an alcohol supply tank, which is adapted to feed liquid alcohol by gravity tomy improved device Within the stove or heating chamber, jAzvertically-dis- Posed P pe 1 i edt thebottom of said gas conducting tube v supply tank,'and by means of an elbow or other suitable fitting 1%, said vertically-dis pose'd pipe is connected with what 1 t rm the converter tube 15, to which the liquid alcohol is fed and'in which it is converted from liquid fuel into a gas to bedischarged from a valve-controlled 'fitting16 into which the converter tube is secured. Said fitting 16 has a small discharge opening 17 in rominlet end spaced a short distance from the discharge opening 17 of the fitting 16 and having said end preferably flared, as at 20,- to allow-air to enter said tube witl'rthe gas forced out through said discharge opening 17. The opposite end of said inlet-tube is threaded into a fitting or manifold 21, which has ajp'assage' 22 therethrough leading to opposite ends of said fitting or manifold, andinto said opposite ends, burner tubes 28 are'threaded or otherwise secured, said burner tubes being. parallel with and arranged at opposite sides of the gas inlet-tube 19, the free ends 2% thereof being closed by plugs 25 or otherwise, as may be desired. Each burner tube 23 hasgas outlets 26 which are directed upwardly and inwardly against the converter tube 15, said converter tube being positioned directly above the gas inlettube 19. Said converter tube isalso supported by the fitting or ma i'ifold 21 and may be fastened thereto by a clip 27. In this manner the gas inlet-tube 19 and burner tubes '23 are carried 'bytlie converter tube and the discharge opening 17 of the fitting 16 to which the converter tube is secure'dor, as it may be more broadly considered the outlet of the converter tube, is maintained atall times in proper relation to'the flared inlet end of the gas inlet-tubeJ j In its broader sense,fth'e vertically-disposed tube 13 may be considered as forming part of the converter tube, it being optional as to whether or not the vertically-disposed portion 13 of the converter tube is secured to the horizontal ortion 15 thereof b ineans of the fitting 1 1, orwhether a single tube is.

employed bent to form the vertically-disposed and the horizontall'y-disposed por tions' 7 7 v Within the converter tube, in the particular instance illustrated, within. the horizontal portion of the converter tube. a plurality of retarder elements in 'the form of closely wound coils 28, 29,30, 31 and 32 are fitted, said coils being preferably ofa diameter to snugly fit within theftube 15 and "arranged to abutend-to end or be slightly separated one from the other, the coils being feeding of the gas to the biu'ners,-and there} fore the greater the number of coils "employed the more effective ill be the results.

Resting on the bottom of the stove or heating chamber 10 is a p an 3 on which the fittings 16 and 21 rest, a piece of asbestos or other i'i'onrcombustible material 35' being in serted between the fitting 16 and the pan and extending beneath the adj acent ends of I the gas inlet-tube 19 and burner tubes 23. V

The alcohol fed by gravity into the con verter tube passes through the first coil under considerable friction, and this coil and the coils 3'0 and 31 are" filled with lengths of wire 33, very small spiral passages 36 are formed between said wire33:and the con- 'volutions of the coils, and similar spiral pas sages 87 are formed between all the coils and the surrounding tube 15. The small passages 36 and 37 of the first coil 28 are therefore completely filled with alcohol, the alcohol having a circular or whirling action while passing tl'n'ough and around the first coil 28 and escaping from the farther end thereof, where it enters the second coil. -.;\l-

cohol passing through and around'or along the first coil 28 is subjected only to such heat as is carried aloi'ig the tube Tiolsurrounding 1t, due'to the fact that the flames from the burner tubes do not come in direct contact,

with that portionof the tube 15 surroi-mding said coil. For this reason the gas created within the tube will exert its pressure mainly against the first filled coil 28 and be thereby prevented from acting against a solid body of liquid alcohol to prevent feeding'of the same into the converter tube. V I

The alcohol entering the second coil 29,

which is unfilled and therefore has a central passage therethro'ugh, passes through and around it, it being allowed to expand within the central passage of said second c'o'il, due to the fact that the flames of the burner the gas'thus far created with any sonic-en tubes play against that p'ortion'of the tube verted alcohol will flow through and around said third coil passing circularly or spirally through the small spiral passages 36 and 87, and as this coil is heated to a greater degree than the second coil, any unconverted liquid will be converted into along this region.

As the gas leaves the third coil, which is tilled, the resistance to travel backward is considerably greater than that offered against its forward travel, and the gas then enters the fourth coil, which is unfilled and therefore has a central passage therethrough, where it is further expanded and heated to a greater degree. The gas, highly heated, then leaves the fourth coil and passesrhrough the small spiral passages 36, 37 of the fifth coil. where it is still further heated due to its being divided and. caused to pass through said small passages. The heat is therefore progressively applied to the coils from the inlet end of the converter tube toward the outlet end thereof and consequently the highly heated gas enters the fitting 16, or valve chamber as it may be termed, and has a free escape therefrom when opening the valve 18. It may here be noted that the central passages through the unfilled coils serve as expansion spaces.

The separation of the coils is made for the purpose of having each coil retain its own heat, and as the coils are heated to a higher degree progressively as they are farther from the alcohol supply, a gas of high heating units is secured, which will be directed into the inlet-tube 19 of the burner and from the latter be directed into the burner tubes 33, where it is ignited at the openings 26.; the flames playing against the converter tube 15 while h ating the interior of the stove or chamber and particularly the lid 11 thereof.

The gas passing into the burner tubes 23 will be under considerable pressure, and this pressure may be increased by increasing the length of the converter tube and the number of coils therein, or by placing the alcohol tank at a higher elevation with the same number of coils within the converter tube. By causing the alcohol or gas to pass alternately through filled and unfilled coils, they are given an erratic or tortuous course of travel. For example, in passing through the first coil 28, a circular or spiral motion is given the alcohol, and when leaving said coil, part of the alcohol isfdirected at a right angle, or substantially so, in entering the second coil, 'which'is unfilled, and this change in course of alcohol, or gas, depending on the stage of conversion, takesplace each time it leaves one coil and enters another.

When starting the device it will be necessary to heat the converter tube before gas can be produced, and when said tube is not subjected to heat, the liquid from the gas. tank will flow through said tube when the valve 18 is opened. Therefore it is simply necessary to open the valve 18 and allow a small quantity of the liquid fuel to saturate the piece of asbestos 35 and also allow it to flow onto the pan 34. This alcohol may be ignited by removing the lid, and when lighted will heat the converter tube sutliciently to generate'gas within the same. VVhen the desired quantity of alcohol is delivered to the piece of asbestos and the pan 34, the

valve will be closed so that conversion of alcohol into gas will take place within the tube and so that gas will'not escape until suflic-ient pressure has been generated to carry it through the gas inlet-tube 19 to the burner tubes 23, which gas will then become automatically ignited from the burning alcohol within the pan.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is z- 1. A device" for converting alcohol intoi gas, comprising a tube having an inlet at one end and a controlled outlet at 1ts other end,

and coils fitting within said tube and arranged successively from the inlet toward the'outlet thereof, alternate coils being pro vided with filler elements.

2. A. devicefor converting alcohol into gas, comprising a converter tube having an inlet at one end and a controlled outlet at its other end, a plurality of closely wound coils fitting within said tube with alternate coils provided with fillerelements in contact with the convolutions of. the coils-at all points circumferentially. 1

3. The combination with a liquid fuel tank, a tube connected to said tank and having its inlet at said tank, a plurality of closely wound coils fitting snugly within said tube and arranged end to end, cylindrical filler members fitting snugly within alter nate coils, a valve connected to said tube to control the flow of liquid fuel and gas therefrom, a gas inlet-tube spaced from said valve and adapted to receive the gas there 

